With the Employment Rights Act finally gaining Royal Assent in December 2025, we take a look at what's in store for employment law in 2026. Our updated tracker highlights some of the key changes for 2026: April 2026 New pay rates: Each April new statutory minimum rates apply for the year ahead. From 1 April 2026, minimum pay rates per hour will increase to: ·         National Living Wage: o 21 and over - £12.71 – 4.1% increase (or £977 increase per year for full time staff o

Law meets leadership: Why It’s time to rethink how we solve workplace challenges In the ever-shifting landscape of modern work, the challenges facing UK employers and employees have never been more complex or more interconnected. From navigating hybrid work and mental health expectations to dealing with AI’s impact on jobs and keeping abreast of changing regulations, every decision at work now has both a human and a legal dimension. That intersection—where leadership meets la

The Employment Rights Bill should receive Royal Assent this month.  On 28 October 2025, the House of Lords considered the House of Commons’ amendments to the Employment Rights Bill.  The Lords proposed changes to: 1.       zero-hours clauses (amending their own amendment); 2.       the day-one right to unfair dismissal protections (insisting on a 6-month qualifying period, rather than day-one); and 3.       industrial action ballot thresholds (disagreeing with the proposal t

The Employment Rights Bill (ERB) was published 365 days ago.  It has been billed as the biggest shake-up to employment law rights in this...

In August I wrote a blog about the use of AI in HR.  My personal enthusiasm for AI remains unbounded however irrespective of my own...

Our Managing Partner, John Hayes considers the use of AI in generating legal responses, and cites recent personal experience of...

In the early 19 th  century, groups of Yorkshire and Lancashire textile workers, known collectively as Luddites, protested against the...

The most recent unemployment figures paint a grim picture as the number of those out of work last month hit its highest level in nearly...

The UK government announced major changes to the immigration rules which will come into effect on 22 July 2025.   The main changes...